TENBURY has been 'buzzing' since the latest stage of the lifting of lockdown when shops selling non-essential items were able to reopen, but for some 2021 will be a tough year.

People have been spending money saved up over the past year and with the sun shining the world is looking a much happier place, says shop owner Carol Collier.

“There have been a lot of people out in the town and they seem to be keen to support the local shops,” said Ms Collier, who runs the Smarty Pants clothing shop, in the town centre.

The opening last week marks a change of fortune for Ms Collier, whose shop was badly damaged in the floods in February 2020, which was then followed by the first lockdown.

She was able to open in temporary premises for a few months before there was another lockdown in the autumn.

Open again for just a month before Christmas she then had to close until Monday, April 19.

There is still social distancing but things are looking up.

“People just seem pleased to be able to get out again,” she said.

“I have a completely refurbished shop, the summer collection is in and people are supporting the town.

“There are still some customers who are uncomfortable going out until they have the second jab and shops are helping them with click and collect services.”

Many customers are taking the opportunity to ‘try before they buy’ and although there are changing facilities in the shop many are taking the chance to take the clothes home to try them on.

Clothes that are tried on and then not purchased are steam cleaned before being put back on the racks for the next customer.

But just a few hundred yards away in Burford, Mark Yarnold, who runs a very different kind of business, thinks that 2021 will be a very difficult one.

His Nomark Equip business has been going for 23 years, selling equipment to farmers.

His business was deemed an essential service and has not had to close at all although it has been doing business differently.

He says that the business that is a main Yamaha franchise did not find things too bad in 2020.

“But I think that this year will be more difficult,” said Mr Yarnold.

“There are some real problems getting some stock. Our Yamaha all terrain vehicles are made in the USA and with the factory closed for three months and now only working at 30 per cent capacity stock is a problem.”

He said that this was also the case with some spare parts that come in from Europe.

“As a result of Brexit, stocks are taking longer to arrive because of the paperwork and there has also been some increase in prices,” added Mr Yarnold.

He said that looking forward issues such as the increase in commodity prices of materials such as steel will have a knock on effect.